10/20/12. Hebrews 9:1-14. CHRIST’S BLOOD CLEANSES OUR CONSCIENCES-my devotional 

Key Verse: 9:14                                                                                                                                                               Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF

^“How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,so that we may serve the living God!”

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for coming to bring us life to the full. Thank you for granting all things we need for life in this world and the next. I also want to thank you for Mark. He is the first of my children to run a 5 K race. Thank you for placing in his heart the desire to do so and the desire to register money for a good cause. Bless him to be a very community minded young man and run many marathons in his life. Help me to run some 5 K’s. I pray that you may help Julie ad I to give an edifying talk about the “Weekend to Remember” marriage seminar. Even though the book of Hebrews is very difficult to understand, help me to write daily devotionals on it. Please plant your word in my heart this morning. I thank you and I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Part 1:  Worship Under The Old Covenant (1-10).

Verses 1-10, “Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. ² A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. ³ Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, ⁴ which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. ⁵ Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. ⁶ When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. ⁷ But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. ⁸ The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. ⁹ This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. ¹⁰ They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.”

With strict instructions, God had Moses build a sanctuary for the people to worship God. To cleanse the people of their sin, once a year the high priest would enter the most holy place to offer blood for himself and the people’s sin. The Holy Spirit revealed that the way to God’s presence was not open under the old covenant because the sacrifices were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. The sacrifices only dealt with external regulations.

The way to enter the most holy place is cut off from those operating under the Old Testament. Actually if you think of the Most Holy Place being in the very presence of the Holy God, before his throne, then there is no way to enter that place, by any religion, not just Old Testament Judaism. We are sinners. God is holy. We cannot enter into God’s presence on our own. We just can not. Think of it on a lesser scale….if we went toWashington, we just cannot enter into the Oval Office of the President in any way that we want to. The only way we can enter into the Oval Office is to get a pass and become accepted by the security. Like wise, in order to come before the throne of God and stand in the presence of God, is to receive a “pass”. That pass is received when we are forgiven. Our forgiveness comes when we repent of our sins and put all of our faith, hope and trust in Jesus Christ. This reality is revealed when the curtain of the temple was torn in two when Jesus died on the cross. It was also revealed when theTemplewas burned and destroyed on 70 A.D. Any religion, outside of Jesus Christ, is obsolete and unable to get us before the throne of God. It is because no sacrifice is sufficient to bring about the complete forgiveness of our sins. Only the sacrifice of Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God, who suffered and died on the cross for our sins, can bring us there. Thank you Jesus for what you have accomplished through the cross.

This is not an easy lesson for people in a pluralistic society. People like to think that there are many paths to the top of the mountain and that any religion will take you there as long as you are a sincere adherent to the tenants of that religion. They think that their own goodness is enough reserve for them a place before the throne of God in the paradise of heaven. But the fact remains that we are not sincere adherents to our religions. We also have hurt many people in our quest for personal happiness. Our only real hope is Jesus Christ and his perfect sacrifice for us. Jesus is my only hope. My time to meet God face to face is fast approaching. One day I may get the “It’s cancer” diagnosis. I may simply drop to ground from a heart attack. I may be in a terrible traffic accident. Even if I make it to my 90’s, that is only 40-50 years away. That is not that long. May the whole world realize that Jesus is the only way.

Part 2. Worship Under the Blood of Jesus (11-14).

Verses 11-14, “But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here,he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. ¹² He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtainingeternal redemption. ¹³ The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. ¹⁴ How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,^[c] so that we may serve the living God!”

When Jesus entered the greater and more perfect sanctuary in heaven, he did so with his own holy perfect blood. Worshipers who come to God in this way, cleansed by the blood of Jesus, are able to enter God’s presence and serve the living God. This is possible because Jesus’ blood has power not only to forgive sins, but to cleanse our consciences of the acts that lead to death.

I realize here that the cleansing of the conscience by the blood of Jesus is the only way to, not only stand in the presence of God, but it is also the only way to serve the living God. With all of our good intentions we cannot serve the living God. We may be able to do something for Jesus for a short time. Over time, our souls get burdened by despair and we become tired after struggling in this world for so long. We may have good intentions, but we have no power to “keep going” if we do not have a personal relationship with Jesus based on his forgiveness. We also can not have the God’s presence in our hearts if we are allowing sin to dwell there, without repentance and faith. God can not help us. We become powerless. There are also those who want to serve God, but their desires are not pure. They want to do something, but behind the scenes is a girl or a guy, or the desire for world adventure and self fulfillment. Our hearts need to be cleansed of impure motives and desires. Then we can serve the holy God throughout our life time. I need to purify my desires. I have many desires for self fulfillment and meaning in life. I need to serve God for the glory of God alone.

Prayer: Thank you for disclosing a way into your presence through Jesus’ holy blood. Help me serve you with a clear conscience today.

One Word: Cleansed by the blood of Jesus